Family members were privy to the abuse Pearl Fernandezs sister often slept over to shield Gabriel and the two other kids from the abuse. Through interviews with members of Gabriels family, courtroom testimony, and insight from experts on psychology and family relationships, documentarian Brian Knappenberger attempts to answer some key questions: What, exactly, happened to Gabriel, and why didnt anyone step in to save him? Pearl Fernandez (born 29 August 1983) is a lady from California. Assessing And Reporting and Reporting Child Maltreatment Knappenberger says that as he further investigated the story, he came to believe the workers had made clear mistakes., The social workers took a lot of heat. One of the newest true-crime docs, "Don't F**k With Cats" chronicles how internet sleuths uncovered a man who broke the internet's number one rule (Don't f**k with cats) and committed animal abuse and allegedly murdered a man. According to family members, she was uneducated, started using drugs at an early age which stopped brain development, was diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, suffered from eating disorders, and had abnormalities on her scans. Criminal defense attorney Dmitry Gorin, who was not involved in the case, said that his law firm fields calls almost daily concerning resentencing, but that most seeking relief dont qualify for it under state law. Pearl called 911 on May 22, 2013, to report that Gabriel had . Pearl was 23 when she became pregnant with Gabriel. Gabriels Mother Likely Instigated the Abuse. First Name Gabe #4. They used to live together and Gabriel was also living with them. The project will marry her graduate work in clinical psychology and more than 10 years of journalism experience. Gabriel Fernandez's Net worth in 2022. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part crime documentary that premiered on Netflix in 2020. 1. But thats not the end of the story. This Netflix true-crime doc looks into Henry Lee Lucas, known as one of America's most prolific serial killers, who admitted to hundreds of murders. Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the documentary details the murder of Gabriel Fernandez and subsequent responses by the media and local government. Fernandez was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and Aguirre was sentenced to death. Her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 40, was sentenced. A Shock to the System 47m Gabriel was beaten into a state of unconsciousness by. The California boy died . In maybe one of the craziest stories ever, Jane Broberg is kidnapped by her neighbor, a family friend, on two separate occasions. In court, she stated, "I want to say I'm sorry for what happened. They failed! She was also a victim of gang rape and rape by an uncle at an early age. There were beating marks on his forehead, lips, nose and his eyes were all swollen. The event in . After Fernandez missed thirteen days of school, he returned and his teacher noticed his condition had worsened. Prosecutors have asked the court for a re-hearing of the case against the social workers, 6. She is a child murderer. His fathers name is Arnold Contreras and his mothers name is Pearl Fernandez. The judge, who had been on the bench for 20 years, said he never personally commented on a case he presided over, but had to for this one. Moreover, not only Gabriel they even raised all three of Pearl's kids, but in 2009 Ezequiel and Virginia went to live with Pearl and Gabriel stayed with them, until 2012. The reason for his death was his mother and his mothers lover had beaten the kid because he failed to clean up his toys. As a teenager, Fernandez claimed that her uncle attempted to rape her and that some men had held her hostage for a period of days taking turns raping her, which led to her having suicidal thoughts while at the hospital recovering. Is it normal for you to bleed? he asked, according to Garcia. People say that his mother Pearl Fernandez is a violent lady and she even once attacked her husband with a knife. The department has hired more than 3,000 new social workers since 2013 in an effort to lower caseloads for workers and retrained workers on how to interview witnesses and detect physical injuries, according to the statement. So, it was the year of 2012. Born on March 1 #30. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. On Wednesday, Netflix will release a six-part docu-series examining how both Gabriel's family and the justice system failed an eight-year-old boy named Gabriel Fernandez. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. However, they did not receive enough information but provided the family with further resources. [13][12][14], Fernandez has been diagnosed with several mental health issues including a depressive disorder[vague], developmental disability, a possible personality disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Footage of his time with his uncles shows an apparently happy and healthy child. However, she never wanted Gabriel in the first place and even left the hospital after he was born. [22] However, when Gabriel died, Fernandez and Aguirre were both charged with first degree murder with special circumstances of torture; prosecutors pursued the death penalty. The stepfather, Isauro Aguirre, was sentenced to death while the mother, Pearl Fernandez, received life imprisonment in the separate trials they had in 2017. However, prosecutors decided that it was more of a motive, and could get a bigger sentence charging the couple with child abuse. Her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 40, was sentenced to death. Man who tortured, killed Gabriel Fernandez among death row inmates who got COVID-19 jobless benefits from California by: Los Angeles Times. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 37, was sentenced to life in prison without parole three years ago for her role in Gabriel Fernandez's 2013 murder. At the age of nine, Fernandez began using methamphetamine and drinking alcohol, and at the age of eleven, Fernandez decided to run away from home. [8] Paramedics rushed him to the hospital where doctors declared him brain dead. Earlier Life and Parents He was raised by Pearl Fernandez's parents Robert and Sandra Fernandez. Saturday would've been his 16th birthday. In a statement to The Wrap published March 2, the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services said a new era of reform began in the wake of Gabriels death and that the department has implemented several new policies to ensure child safety. Gabriel Fernandez (born in 2005) was a child from LA, USA. Even worse, the abuse was no secret. On May 22, 2013, Gabriel Fernandez was not breathing so his mother called the police to report her child. However, there was a lot of blood and lacerations to the head that caused investigators to look into a possible homicide. Here's what you need to know about the crime, and its ongoing effect on L.A. County's criminal justice system. One of the two men who helped raise Gabriel Fernandez before he was tortured and murdered at age 8 by his mother and her boyfriend has died from the novel coronavirus. But they also brought charges against four social workers, something that had never happened before. Gabriel Fernandez had dark brown eyes and while he was at the time of death he was 4 feet 1 inch tall. He was just 8 years old at his demise, so he had not experienced professional life. Shortly after his birth, Pearl gave him away and he was raised by his grandparents and his uncle. 11 found him guilty, while one man didnt believe he should be convicted of first-degree murder. At the time she and. [2][3] Shortly after birth, Gabriel was put in the custody of his great-uncle on his mother's side, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner David Martinez. Gabriel Fernandez died two days after being found with a cracked skull, shattered ribs, severe burns and BB pellets buried in his body. A boyfriend of his mother, Isualo Aguirre, and Fernandez were then arrested and convicted of first-degree murder. In 2013, the Los Angeles authorities responded to a 9-1-1 call at Gabriel's family home, where they found his bruised and battered body. [20] In March/April 2021, Aguirre was transferred to Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. They said Fernandez and Aguirre called him gay and punished him for exhibiting feminine qualities, like playing with dolls. "[13], Currently, Fernandez is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder with special circumstances of torture at Central California Women's Facility. It doesnt matter how long ago the crime happened. She dropped out of school in the 8th grade. Cause of Death He was discovered dead in 2013 following repeated abuse at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend. He also notes a culture of silence permeating the Department of Child and Family Services. . After Pearl Fernandez called 911 on May 22, 2013 to report that Gabriel was not breathing, the paramedics who responded found him with broken ribs, a cracked skull and BB pellets stuck in his body . See the 9 most shocking details about the case below. The unprecedented charges held significant consequences, including up to eleven years in prison. [22], The social workers associated with the Gabriel Fernandez case were Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement. The family of Gabriel Fernandez released butterflies nearly eight years after his death, caused by child abuse. Spread throughout six parts, the series has been gut-wrenching at times. Click through the gallery to find your next binge-worthy doc. He mostly used to wear shorts and a T-shirt. She became the mother of three children, Ezequiel, Virginia, and Gabriel. They consistently believed the parent over the child with the burn marks and black eye. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez enters her guilty plea in the death her son, Gabriel Fernandez, in 2018. ", "Which prisons are the killers of Gabriel Fernandez in? For Knappenberger, the story began coming together after he received permission to film Aguirres murder trial and had a chance to hear firsthand testimony from witnesses about how Gabriel was abused. 10-year-old Anthony Avalos was denied access to food and a bathroom, and was abused in the same way as Gabriel was. In the months preceding his death, Fernandez showed his injuries or reported the abuse to a security guard, family members, and a teacher, which led to several calls to social services to no avail. In addition, he was born in the year 2003. Since joining The Times in 2020, Seidman has served on the breaking news and utility desks, wheres she written about Indigenous communities, wildfires threatening giant trees and fishing the L.A. River. The series includes a sizable amount of research on ways to combat child abuse, and details how child protective systems often fail because of a lack of transparency. And what does that say about us?. Further, Fernandezs siblings explained that while Fernandez was being abused, his mother and her boyfriend, Istana would laugh. It also shows how the legal system failed to save the life of a vulnerable child. In 2009, four-year-old Gabriel moved in with his grandparents, due to his grandfather's objection to Carranza's and Martinez's same-sex relationship. Gabriel Fernandez was born on February 20, 2005, in Palmdale, California. She along with her boyfriend named Isauro Aguirre tortured him day and night which killed the innocent child. [29] Garcia continued to call the child welfare hotline and was told each time that a social worker would check in on Fernandez. DCFS Also Failed in Other Similar Cases. They were equally culpable for that.. [29] Stephanie Rodriguez, a social worker, was assigned to Fernandez's case. Gabriel Fernandez was 8-years-old when he died (Image: NETFLIX) In the documentary, Hatami sympathised with the fact Gabriel wrote his mother a mother's day card expressing his love for her,. Here Are 14 Other True-Crime Docs You Should Watch (Photos), Journalist Behind Netflix's 'The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez' on 'Trauma' of Reporting on Child's Murder, 'Trials of Gabriel Fernandez' Director Says Production Had Therapist on Call, was sentenced to death, and Fernandez received life in prison, Californias second appeals court threw out the case, Several Chinese Exhibitors Will Not Attend CinemaCon Due to Coronavirus. Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old boy in Palmdale, dies two days after being severely beaten. Shortly after birth, he was put in the custody of his great-uncle on his mother's side, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner David Martinez. (KTLA Pool) Gabriel Fernandez was killed by his mum and her love interest. Gabriel Fernandez: Age, Parents, Ethnicity, Education, Gabriel Fernandez: Professional life, Career. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 37, was sentenced to life in prison without parole three years ago for her role in Gabriel Fernandezs 2013 murder. Shortly after starting there, her teacher, Jennifer Garcia, felt that things were not right at home. She also commented that throughout his three-year employment he was patient and loving, and would commonly change the diapers of elderly residents at the facility. As depicted during the series, sheriffs were called to the house by other family members days before the murder but took no action. The social workers were accused of minimizing the evidence that Gabriel was abused and of falsely reporting that safety programs for Gabriel were working, when the abuse was only worsening, the documentary shows. Ezequiel Fernandez's father - Arnold Contreras His father's name is Arnold Contreras and mother's name is Pearl Fernandez. Most recently, a four year old boy was being abused. He lived with his grandparents until 2012, when his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, regained physical custody of him[4] despite concerns for his welfare expressed by the family. She gave him Away from the start, she shouldnt have gotten him back. A second part of the series focused on their appeals. He pled not guilty; however, the jury found him guilty and recommended he be sentenced to death, which was accepted by Superior Court Judge George G. Similarly, Gabriel had two siblings, Ezequiel and Virginia. Between 2005 and 2012, sixty complaints were filed against Pearl Fernandez and Aguirre to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Gabriel Fernandez suffered a combination of physical and emotional abuse. The recent Netflix documentary, "The Trials of Gabriel Fern. However, the authorities found Gabriel on the ground naked with several injuries. [29], Jennifer Garcia's concern started when Fernandez first asked her concerning questions regarding being whipped. The documentary explained that she never wanted Gabriel, and actually left the child at the hospital, when family members took him in. [27] Calls regarding child abuse concerns began to occur between the years of 2012 and 2013. When prosecutors went to medical hub in Lancaster, Calif. (part of the Antelope Valley), they found it had been closed due to insufficient funding, the docu-series says. There are a lot of true-crime documentaries on Hulu, Netflix and HBO right now. In making The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, Knappenberger says he wanted to explore all the factors that contributed to Gabriels death. His bodyweight was of 25Kg. After speaking with the principal, Garcia called Rodriguez back and informed her of the recent signs of abuse. I couldnt watch all of this, it make me sick down to my heart. Moreover, he gained fame after his death due to abuse and torture from his mother and his mother's lover. It is in his memory and in pursuit of the safety of Los Angeles Countys two million children that we have reformed how child protection work is done.. [27] The other parties associated were their supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt. . [31]. Gabriel Fernandez was an 8-year-old boy, the last of three children who suffered severe neglect, and an unbelievable amount of abuse. Pearl gave out his son to his gay uncles . In response, Garcia called social services and was later called by social worker Stefanie Rodriguez, informing her that she was assigned to the case. Posted: Nov 24, 2020 / 11:35 AM PST. Deputy Dist. The guy was brought by his grandparents. ' The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez ' is Netflix's latest docuseries that manages to be hard-hitting, showing a terrible case of child abuse, while pointing out at the systemic failure to protect the child from his untimely demise. When questioned about it by Garcia, Fernandez said his mother had punched him in his mouth. He is the 2 nd eldest kid in his family. Additionally, this case reinforces that close people often abuse children, such as caretakers and parents. He has an elder sister named Virginia and a younger brother late Gabriel Fernandez. He was just a family member so he had no estimated net worth. 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